Can-opening device.



S. P. HARTMAN.

CAN OPENING DEVICE.

APPLICATlON FILED FEB. 8. 191a.

Patented June 11, 1918.

FIGfI.

A TTORNE Y.

CAN-OPENING DEVICE.

Application filed. February a, 1918.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL P. HART- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a new. and useful Can-0penin Device, of which the followin is a specification.

My invention re ates to can opening devices of thattype which may be attached to, and combined with can holding devices of the class shown and described in United States Patent No. 1,252,108, issued to me on January 1st, 1918.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide an inexpensive adjustable cutting device which may be attached to can holding devices, second, to provide a demountable attaching member adapted to slidably receive the cutter mechanism, third, to provide a carrier adapted to enter the attaching member and extend therefrom, and moving therein with freedom in vertical direction, fourth, to provide a supporting memher having a perforating punch to pierce can tops and having facility to receive the carrier and rotate and slide thereon, and, fifth, to rovide the supporting member with a rotata 1e lever having a blade or cutter, the lever being bent to form a seat for the blade and to contact the top of the can to limit the penetration of the perforator and blade, and permit the former to shoulder under the metal top of the can to lift the cut away portion when the cutter is rotated upwardly.

T attain these objects and other advantages by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1, is a side elevation of the can holder with the cutter device attached thereto in operative position, and showing the can in section to disclose the erforating punch and blade, the shoulder o the punch being positioned to lift the cut away portion when the cutter device is rotated backward; Fig. 2, is a top plan view of the cutter and holder, and the cutting operation; Fig. 3, is a plan view of the under side of the cutter device, the attaching member being omitted; Fig. 4, is a rear elevation of the can holder and cutter device and, Fig. 5, is a sectional view of the rotatable lever, taken on the line 55 in Fig. 1; and a cross section through the cutter device, taken on the line 66, in Fig. 1, the former showing the contour of the blade, and the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June it, ieie.

Serial No. 2145,001.

latter showing the complete perforating punch.

Similar numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The can holding device comprises a fixed jaw 1, having an integral yoke 2, provided with a clamping screw 3, which is adapted ,to engage a table top or other suitable supporting medium. A movable jaw 4, is slid ably mounted on slides 5, which are at tached to the jaw 1. Both jaws are provided with vertical flanges 6, which extend in the form of an ellipse about their outer edges and with floors adapted to support cans of different dimensions, the jaw at, being adapted to move to and from the jaw l, by means of a screw 7, which engages a nut 8, which is stationary in the yoke 2, the outer end portion of the screw being movably attached to a supporting and attaching member hereinafter described, by collars 9, set upon the screw.

The can opening device comprises a vertically extending attaching member 11, which is attached to the rearward side of the flange on the jaw 4. The attaching member being formed with a channel or slideway 12, and provided with a plurality of inturned portions 13. The attaching member may be attached to the jaw by any suitable means, such as by screws, solder and the like expedients. A carrier 1%, is slidably mounted in the slideway 12, of the attaching member, and a set screw 15, is removably mounted in the carrier adjacent its lower end, for the purpose of limiting the vertical movement of the carrier, by contact of the set screw with the upper of the inturned portions 13. Pivots 16, are formed on opposite sides of the upper end of the carrier, the lower end of the carrier being recessed as shown at 17, in Figs. 3 and 42, to permit the screw 7, to pass therethrough. A supporting member 18, having downwardly extending side flanges 19, provided longitudinally with oppositely disposed slots 20, which are adapted to receive the pivots 16, and slide thereon and rotatably support said member on the pivots.

The assembly of the parts mentioned, in the manner mentioned, permits the carrier to move vertically of the attaching member, and the supporting member to rotate vertically of the carrier and at the same time to move horizontally thereof, for a purpose that will be hereinafter explained. A. perforating punch 21, is fixed in the outer end por tion of the supporting member and provided with an anvil 22, on its upper end, which is adapted to receive pressure to force the perforating punch into the top of the can and with a shank 23, upwardly of the point of the punch, which is reduced in diameter to provide a shoulder 24, the latter being thereby adapted to pass under the metal of the can top at the border of the perforation. A lever 25, is pivotally mounted at its inner end on the upper end of the perforating punch, between the anvil 22, and the upper side of the supporting member 18. A su1table distance outwardly of the supporting member the lever 25, is bent down a little distance at right angles for the purpose of providing a seat 26, to receive a blade 27, and then bent upwardly to lie in a plane a little lower of the inner portion of the lever, but parallel therewith, the lower bend 28, thereby being adapted to bear upon the top of the can when the perforating punch has penetrated the can top, to limit the penetration of the punch and blade. :1 handle 29, is fixed on the outer end portion of the level.

To operate my invention, the attaching member 11, is demountably attached to. the rearward side of the jaw 4, of the can holding device. To attach the cutter member, the carrier is movably lodged in the slideway 12, and the set screw 15, set to place, so that the carrier may be elevated and detained in the attaching member by the engagement of the set screw with the upper ones of the inturned portions 13, of the attaching member. The cutter mechanism is then rotated backwardly and a can 30, having a sealed top, is arranged in the jaws and the jaws forced together by the screw 7, to a clamping of the can. The cutter mechanism is then rotated forwardly until the perforating punch rests upon the top of the can, when the point of the punch is brought substantially to the center of the can top, by sliding the supporting member 18, forwardly or backwardly, as the case may seem to require, on the pivots 16, on the carrier. When the center point has been located by the punch, a downward pressure is exerted on the anvil 22, thereby forcing the perforating punch 21, to pierce the top of the can and penetrate to the interior thereof to the extent limited by the contact of the bend 28, of the lever 25, with the upper end of the can. The same pressure, simultaneously forces the blade 27, through the top of the can, its penetration being limited also by the bend 28, in the lever 25. The lever 25,- is then rotated to the right or left, the blade being two edged and adapted for cutting in either direction. The preferable practice, is to first find the central point of the top of the can for the perforating punch and then rotate the lever 25 in either direction to adjacent the supporting-member, then apply-- ing the pressureto force the punch and the blade into the can top and cutting away from that point, to a point adjacent the supporting member at the opposite side thereof. The cutting described effects a partial separation of the can top, but if a total separation is desired, then, after cutting from one to the other side of the supporting member, if the can be turned a suitable distance, the cutting may be continued to effect a total separation of the cut away portion. The circular cutting of the can top is shown in Fig. 2. When the perforating punch is forced through the can top to the ultimate limit permitted by the limiting provision of the bend 28, of the lever 25, the shoulder 24, on the punch, is brought to below adjacent the lower side of the can top, so that when the cutting process is completed and the cutter elevated the shoulder will engage the can top and lift the same, and if there be a partial separation of the can top, the cut away portion will be bent back in the rotation of the cutter, and if there is atotal separation the separated portion will be carried away from the can. After the cutting is completed the cutter is rotated back, the jaws released, and the can removed.

Having described my invention what T claim is- A can opener attachment for can holders, consisting of a vertically extending attaching member demountably mounted on the holder and having a longitudinally extending slideway, a carrier slidably mounted in said attachin member and provided at its upper end with oppositely disposed pivots projecting transversely of the carrier, a supporting member slidably and also rotatably mounted on said carrier and provided with a downwardly extending perforating punch having a shoulder upwardly adjacent its point, a lever rotatably mounted on said supporting member and engaged by the upper portion of said perforating punch, said lever being bent intermediately to form a vertical section, the portion of the lever outwardly of the vertical section forming a limiting stop to limit the penetration of the perforating punch, and a cutter mounted on said vertical section of the lever and adapted to penetrate the can simultaneously with said perforating punch.

SAMUEL P. HARTMAN. Witnesses:

JOHN C. S'rnARNs, F. J. SMALL. 

